Got rid of the 4.56's yesterday, in the process of breaking the new ones in. Teardown/install was pretty easy, in all. Only adjustment I wasn't anticipating was the sway bar disconnect so I could swing it up and out of the way for the 3rd to clear out and in.

First impressions: hard to say. Can't run it too hard yet. Certainly feels like A LOT less pedal to get it moving or just stop and go traffic. Can't wait to try some towing. Gonna drive me crazy waiting to get my hand on a GPS for real-time mph's so I can calculate mpg's for a few tanks. Yeah, I need a life. Banking on the .69 OD to bring me into the powerband on the freeway. Will certainly report.

 

Funny you should post this. I swapped my 4.56's out for 5.29's over the weekend too. With the 35's, it feels darn close to what it did back when it had 4.10's & 225's. I've never owned a properly geared vehicle with oversized tires & I must say it's quite nice!

 

I'm likin' it so far, but I'm only running 31's!

 

that sounds fun, should have a little pep in its step now!

 

Break em loose

4runners look awsume doin burnouts

 

Hrm, just cause i read it a couple times and i wanna understand. 5.29's with 31's in an auto. sweet.

I have been having an internal debate between 4.88 and 5.29 cause i drive 34's in the summer and 32's in the winter though i need to climb up the mountain to go skiing. I wasn't sure if 5.29's would dog me to much with the 32's. but more pep on the way up the mountain would be beautiful.

So how is your daily driving? highway?

Also for N8. cause im runnin a 5 speed.

My runner just did a burnout for the first time ever. cause i put 4.7's in so i can do a brake stand now. no locker so its not as cool as it could be. 1 wheel burnouts!

 

5.29's. It will tach 300rpm faster that 4.88's..

 

I think with 33's, it would be a tossup for me.

Had I not chosen 35's, I probably would have gone with 4.88's only because they're fairly cheap in comparison given that you can find them in 93-95 auto 4runners that came stock with 31's.

I would only feel 5.29's would be too low for 33's if most of your driving was flatland highway.

 

o have 529's in my truck that is on 38;s and the speedo is perfect...

 

*ahem* you mean 92-95 4runners AND pickups with 3vze, auto and 31" tires. They both had them

5.29's would be fine with 33's. Like I said you will tach 300rpm higher for each size up in R&P. So its not THAT bad. You will loose what, 5-10mph?

Its a truck, not ment for high speed hwy crusing anyways..

 

man it must been the weekend for 5.29 swaps... i also threw 5.29s in the rear of my 89 4runner this weekend. 3.0 + auto + 5.29 + 31s = FTW!!! i love the 5.29s with my 3.0 auto

 

^ I love it when a plan comes together.

toyota shouldve had stock 5.29's Perhaps not work those poor auto trucks so hard!

 

I have 5.29's on my '89 3.0 auto with 33x10.5's. It is slightly lower geared than stock, about 15%. It pulls hills far better and is just more fun to drive around town. With 31's, damn, that must launch like a drag car. Well, not quite, but definitely a lot more acceleration off the line.

 

Only put about a hundred miles on 'em so far, haven't really pushed it, but it's a GREAT difference! Honestly, the biggest difference I'm noticing is the freeway passing gear. I HAVE ONE NOW! Had a lady semi-cut me off in the slow lane so she could exit (instead of just falling behind me). Pissed me off, so I go to pass her and hit the skinny like I usually do. IT TOOK OFF! I actually had to let off 'cause I was coming up on her prior to pulling left A LOT faster than I was used to. What went from frustration quickly got distracted with a smile!

Sidenote: maybe I'm talking myself into it, but it sure "feels" like it's using a lot less pedal across the board.

 

im pretty sure it will use less pedal..it doesnt take as much pedal to get you moving...lol

 

It's been great to feel like I don't have to flog it just to keep up with traffic from a stoplight.

Also, breaking traction will be an endeavor once I'm confident that things are broken in. Before, I could barely get the tires to spin on jackstands.

 

haha! I love it!

 

Holds OD on freeway inclines better, too. Can't wait to try some towing. Going to Calfornia City in Oct and I'm wanting to tow bikes and some firewood.

 

These threads should be required reading for the people that insist on lifting their rigs on the cheap and running 35's with stock gears. It makes such a huge difference in performance having a properly geared vehicle.

 

I'm semi-unique here, in that I'm a lowly 2wd and only needed one diff changed. That said, I paid $300 out the door for my 5.29's with install kit, already set up professionally. I doubt it'll take me a year to make up that cash in gas money, especially when towing. Double those figures, that's what I'd consider "break even" for me if I were 4wd. Depending on how much you use it and how long you plan on keeping it, it could pay for itself. That doesn't even consider the capabilities gained from a stoplight, on the freeway, when passing, or the intangible "feel" of having a more capable ride. After a year and a half of being undergeared, my only downside found is that I didn't do it sooner.

Other side of the coin: I could easily see the dilemma of taking this small leap if I were gearing and locking two diffs. Well over $300, that's for sure. For some folks, that me be the estimated value of their rig!